Washington Capitalshttp://www.usahockeymagazine.com/taxonomy/term/344/all
enAttitude Equals Altitude For High-Flying Caps’ Defensemanhttp://www.usahockeymagazine.com/article/2016-04/attitude-equals-altitude-high-flying-caps%E2%80%99-defenseman
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<a href="/node/37">Jess Myers</a> </div>
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<p>On his way to work in the heart of Washington, D.C., Capitals defense-man Nate Schmidt drives past several notable monuments honoring brave Americans who have fought for their country. When he gets to the rink and dons the red, white and blue of one of the nation&rsquo;s hottest NHL teams, he can hardly help but think about what it means to be an American hockey player in 2016.</p>
<p>&ldquo;The new American defenseman&rsquo;s game stems from some of the European styles,&rdquo; Schmidt said after a practice in his home state of Minnesota.</p>
<p>&ldquo;The American style of playing defense now is to be a two-way defender. You can&rsquo;t just be a pure offense guy or a pure defense guy anymore. You have to play at both ends of the rink. You see the best American defensemen right now &mdash;[ John] Carlson, Paul Martin, Alex Goligoski &mdash; can play effectively in both ends.&rdquo;<br />From his hometown of St. Cloud, Minn., Schmidt was a good, if not great, blueliner and cut his hockey chops in the USHL, playing well enough with the Fargo Force to earn a roster spot with the University of Minnesota.</p>
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<h4>Nate Schmidt&nbsp; #88</h4>
<p><strong>Position:</strong> Defenseman<br /><strong>Shoots:</strong> Left<br /><strong>Height:</strong> 6-foot-0<br /><strong>Weight:</strong> 191 pounds<br /><strong>Birth Date:</strong> July 16, 1991<br /><strong>Hometown:</strong> St. Cloud, Minn.<br /><strong>Junior Hockey:</strong> Fargo Force (USHL)<br /><strong>College Hockey: </strong>University of Minnesota<br /><strong>Acquired:</strong> Signed as a free agent on April 2, 2013<br /><strong>USA Hockey History:</strong> Attended USA Hockey Player Development Camps as a 15, 16 and 17-year-old, and was a member of the 2006 and 2007 U.S. Select Teams.</p>
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<p>At first, time on the ice with the Gophers was hard to come by as Schmidt skated in just 13 games as a freshman. That number tripled as a sophomore, when he helped the Gophers reach the Frozen Four. After a stellar junior year, Schmidt attracted enough NHL attention that he was signed to a free agent pact by the Capitals in the spring of 2013, and a second contract worth $1.5 million last summer.</p>
<p>Always known as a friendly, talkative, energetic teammate with a permanent grin on his face, Schmidt has made an impression on his teammates with his attitude in the locker room, and his abilities on the ice.<br />&ldquo;Obviously he brings a lot of energy and that part of him stays on the ice,&rdquo; said Carlson, another standout American defenseman for the Capitals. &ldquo;He brings a lot of fight and a lot of joy to the ice. It&rsquo;s good for everyone else to have a guy like that who, maybe when the game isn&rsquo;t going so well, he&rsquo;s just as up-beat and smiling as ever.&rdquo;</p>
<p>Even in the high-pressure world of the NHL, where there are million-dollar contracts affected by seemingly every shift, Schmidt plays with the same joy of competition that friends saw a decade ago when he was playing on outdoor rinks in central Minnesota.</p>
<p>&ldquo;I just stick to my personality type. That&rsquo;s more where I&rsquo;m at right now,&rdquo; Schmidt said. &ldquo;I bring a lot of energy to the rink and I love being around this group and playing hockey every day, so it&rsquo;s one of those things for me that is just being me.&rdquo;</p>
<p>Schmidt first skated for his country as a teen, playing in international tournaments in the U.S. and Europe. While his USA Hockey experience has been limited since then, the thought of donning a different kind of red, white and blue sweater is never far from his mind.</p>
<p>&ldquo;It&rsquo;s something that&rsquo;s hard to put into words when you sit and watch,&rdquo; Schmidt said. &ldquo;The 1980 [U.S.] Olympic Team is still something I think about, knowing John Harrington from his time in St. Cloud. Even 2014 when you look at guys like [T.J. Oshie] doing his thing, just to know how that feels because of those colors.&rdquo;</p>
<p>In the nearer term, with the Capitals flying high and Schmidt contributing to the cause, he figures bringing the Stanley Cup to our nation&rsquo;s capital would be another great way to honor American hockey.</p>
<h5>Jess Myers is a freelance writer and youth hockey volunteer in Inver Grove Heights, Minn.</h5>
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<h2>YOUTH STAR</h2>
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<p><strong>Mark Miller II</strong><br /><strong>Age: 17<br />Dallas</strong></p>
<p>Since first stepping on the ice nearly a decade ago, Mark Miller II has been dedicated to playing hockey. In fact, he has played on so many teams this self-proclaimed &ldquo;military brat&rdquo; has trouble recounting them all.</p>
<p>In the eighth grade, Mark&rsquo;s perseverance and dedication helped him lead his team in goals and points and earned him an award as the most improved player on his squad.</p>
<p>Now a junior at Keller High School in Dallas, Mark remains as passionate about the game as he has ever been. He says the best part of hockey is just being part of such a tight-knit community.</p>
<p>&ldquo;I love being with the team, because they&rsquo;re like a second family. It&rsquo;s just a high-energy, positive sport,&rdquo; he says.</p>
<p>Mark&rsquo;s sense of community extends beyond his team. His love of the game inspired him to spend his summers teaching other kids how to skate. In addition to helping out on the ice, Mark tutors his peers in math and helps his neighbors by babysitting.</p>
<p>But deep in the heart of this Texas native, the passion for hockey burns brightest.</p>
<p>&ldquo;I&rsquo;ve met the greatest people, the greatest coaches,&rdquo; he says. &ldquo;I would recommend hockey to anyone.&rdquo;</p>
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http://www.usahockeymagazine.com/article/2016-04/attitude-equals-altitude-high-flying-caps%E2%80%99-defenseman#commentsNate SchmidtUniversity of MinnesotaUSHLWashington CapitalsFirst LinersWed, 27 Apr 2016 21:33:00 +0000admin13032 at http://www.usahockeymagazine.comA Few Minutes With Matt Hendrickshttp://www.usahockeymagazine.com/article/few-minutes-matt-hendricks
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<p class="p1"><strong><em>Editor&rsquo;s Note:</em></strong><em>&nbsp;Throughout the 2014-15 NHL season, USA Hockey Magazine will periodically highlight American-born players. In our most recent discussion we talk with Edmonton Oilers forward Matt Hendricks.<span class="inline inline-left"><img src="http://www.usahockeymagazine.net/sites/default/files/images/486123951.preview.jpg" alt="" title="" class="image image-preview " width="525" height="350" /></span></em></p>
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<p><span style="line-height: 1.5em;">Selected in the fourth round (131</span><sup style="line-height: 1.5em;">st</sup><span style="line-height: 1.5em;">) overall in the 2000 NHL Entry Draft, Matt Hendricks has skated for the Colorado Avalanche, Washington Capitals and Nashville Predators before joining his current squad, the Edmonton Oilers. A Minnesotan to the core, his style of play has evolved over the years en route to the NHL through inspiration and self-discovery. &nbsp;&nbsp;</span></p>
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<p class="p2"><strong style="line-height: 1.5em;">When did you start playing hockey in Minnesota?</strong><strong></strong></p>
<p class="p2"><span style="line-height: 1.5em;">I think I started messing around with it around the age of 4. Organized hockey, my first team I was on I was 6 in kindergarten.</span></p>
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<p class="p2"><strong style="line-height: 1.5em;">Did you play any other sports besides hockey when you were in grade school/middle school? When and why did you ultimately decide to focus in hockey?</strong><strong></strong></p>
<p class="p2"><span style="line-height: 1.5em;">Grade school [and] middle school I played hockey in the winter, baseball in the summer, football and indoor soccer in the fall. Through high school I played baseball and football as well. I was a decent enough athlete in football and baseball as well, but I just really enjoyed practicing hockey. I didn&rsquo;t love football practice, I didn&rsquo;t love baseball practice&hellip; but hockey practice never seemed like practice to me. It seemed like it was always fun no matter what we were doing.</span></p>
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<p class="p2"><strong style="line-height: 1.5em;">What is our most vivid memory of playing hockey as a youngster?</strong><strong></strong></p>
<p class="p2"><span style="line-height: 1.5em;">My first state tournament in &rsquo;99 [when] we won consolation. In 2000, my senior year, we won the state tournament. It was definitely one of my best hockey moments still to this day.</span><span style="line-height: 1.5em;">&nbsp;</span></p>
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<p class="p2"><strong style="line-height: 1.5em;">You chose to play at St. Cloud State University. What made you choose the Huskies versus another path to the pros?</strong><strong></strong></p>
<p class="p2"><span style="line-height: 1.5em;">My mom was a third grade teacher and education was important to her. Over time it became important to me as well. I chose the college route because a lot of people ahead of me had done that where I grew up and looked up to that were upperclassmen and such. I wanted to stay in state, so I checked out all the schools in Minnesota. St. Cloud seemed to be the best fit for me, and it was an hour drive from home, so it was close, but not too close.</span></p>
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<p class="p2"><strong style="line-height: 1.5em;">You spent time in the WCHA, AHL and ECHL. How did playing at each level help you mold into the player you are today?</strong><strong></strong></p>
<p class="p2"><span style="line-height: 1.5em;">College first taught me how to grow up a bit. High school hockey, they said &lsquo;go get the puck and go score goals.&rsquo; I got to college and that didn&rsquo;t work anymore so I had to learn how to play a fundamental game, learn how to play a system game, different positions. When I got to the ECHL, it was a lot of the same. I looked at myself s the same type of player I was in college: power forward, the guy who can score goals, who can play power play, can play penalty kill. It took me four or five years in the minors to become an NHL player. I wasn&rsquo;t going to be a power forward in the NHL. I was going to have to be more of a grinder, more of an energy guy, a guy who wasn&rsquo;t afraid to stick up for his teammates and go that route, because scoring goals in the minors didn&rsquo;t help me get to the NHL.</span><span style="line-height: 1.5em;">&nbsp;</span></p>
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<address><span style="font-style: normal;"><strong>Favorite Music:</strong>&nbsp;Country<br /><strong>Favorite Snack:&nbsp;</strong>Anything salty</span></address>
<address><strong style="font-style: normal;">Favorite Television Show:</strong><span style="font-style: normal;">&nbsp;Vikings</span><span style="font-style: normal;"><br /><strong>Favorite Offseason Activity:&nbsp;</strong>Fishing<br /><strong>Favorite Social Media Platform:&nbsp;</strong>Twitter<br /><strong>If You Weren&rsquo;t Playing Hockey:</strong>&nbsp;I'd be a farmer</span></address>
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<p class="p2"><strong style="line-height: 1.5em;">Were there one or two NHL players that you looked up to when you were a young kid? Or was there anyone in particular you tried to model your game after?</strong><strong></strong></p>
<p class="p2"><span style="line-height: 1.5em;">I was a big Minnesota North Stars fan growing up. Dino Ciccarelli was one of my favorite players as a kid. As I got older, Joe Sakic was a guy I looked up to. I wore 19 for a lot of years in the minors because of him. I always wanted to be him, but knew deep down I was never going to have the skill set he had.</span><strong></strong></p>
<p class="p2"><strong style="line-height: 1.5em;">How much have small area games been incorporated into your practices at both the collegiate and professional level? What types of skills have you taken away from those situations?</strong><strong></strong></p>
<p class="p2"><span style="line-height: 1.5em;">More so before pro hockey I did a lot of that stuff in college and a little bit more of it in the minors, but the NHL level I haven&rsquo;t really done. It&rsquo;s really more about practicing systems and the fundamentals of team play than it is actual skill development.</span><span style="line-height: 1.5em;">&nbsp;</span></p>
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<p class="p2"><strong style="line-height: 1.5em;">At some point, there is a life after hockey for every professional &ndash; any thoughts as to what you&rsquo;d like to do down the road?</strong><strong></strong></p>
<p class="p2"><span style="line-height: 1.5em;">There&rsquo;s a number of things that pop up in my head, but I try not to think about it. Trying to put that as far back in my mind as possible.</span></p>
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<p class="p2"><strong style="line-height: 1.5em;">What advice would you give a young 10-year-old kid playing youth hockey who aspires to play Junior, college or even professional hockey?</strong><strong></strong></p>
<p class="p2"><span style="line-height: 1.5em;">Like I say to my three kids at home. There are three rules: always get up when you fall down, always make sure you&rsquo;re having fun and working hard. Those are three things that I think can help any young kid develop.</span></p>
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http://www.usahockeymagazine.com/article/few-minutes-matt-hendricks#commentsColorado AvalancheEdmonton OilersMatt HendricksNashville PredatorsNHLSt. Cloud State UniversityWashington CapitalsOnline Bonus ContentWed, 01 Apr 2015 15:47:28 +0000admin11374 at http://www.usahockeymagazine.comA Few Minutes With Matt Niskanenhttp://www.usahockeymagazine.com/article/few-minutes-matt-niskanen
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<p><em><strong>Editor's Note:</strong>&nbsp;Throughout the 2014-15 NHL season, USA Hockey Magazine will periodically highlight American-born players through various Q&amp;A segments. The inaugural discussion was with Cory Schneider.</em></p>
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<p>A product of Minnesota high school hockey, Matt Niskanen is currently a defenseman with the Washington Capitals, his first season with the organization. In two years at Minnesota-Duluth (2005-07), Niskanen tallied 10 goals and 35 points in 77 games. The Virginia, Minn., native had his best NHL season in 2013-14 where he posted 10 goals and 36 assists to go along with a +33 rating. Throughout his eight-year professional career, he&rsquo;s registered 35 goals and 134 assists.&nbsp;</p>
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<p><strong>Besides hockey, what sports did you participate in when you were in grade school/middle school?<br /></strong><span style="line-height: 1.5em;">I played both football and baseball through the 12th grade.</span></p>
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<h5 style="line-height: 17.0999984741211px; font-size: 11px;"><span style="line-height: 1.5em;"><strong style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 1.5em;">Favorite Music:&nbsp;</strong><span style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 16.5px;">Country &amp; 1980s Hair Bands&nbsp;</span></span></h5>
<h5 style="line-height: 17.0999984741211px; font-size: 11px;"><span style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 16.5px;"><strong>Favorite Food: </strong>Deep-fried walleye&nbsp;</span></h5>
<h5 style="line-height: 17.0999984741211px; font-size: 11px;"><span style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 16.5px;"><strong>Favorite Movie: </strong>Grumpy Old Men&nbsp;</span></h5>
<h5 style="line-height: 17.0999984741211px; font-size: 11px;"><span style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 16.5px;"><strong>Favorite Actor: </strong>Tom Hanks&nbsp;</span></h5>
<h5 style="line-height: 17.0999984741211px; font-size: 11px;"><span style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 16.5px;"><strong>Favorite Actress:</strong> Mila Kunis&nbsp;</span></h5>
<h5 style="line-height: 17.0999984741211px; font-size: 11px;"><span style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 16.5px;"><strong>Favorite Quote:</strong> &ldquo;There are only two options regarding commitment. You&rsquo;re either in or you&rsquo;re out. There is no such thing as life in-between.&rdquo; &ndash; Pat Riley, President, Miami Heat &nbsp;</span></h5>
<h5 style="line-height: 17.0999984741211px; font-size: 11px;"><span style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 16.5px;"><strong>Favorite Television Show: </strong>Family Guy</span></h5>
<h5 style="line-height: 17.0999984741211px; font-size: 11px;"><span style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 16.5px;"><strong>Favorite Place To Visit:</strong> Lake Vermilion in Tower, Minn.&nbsp;</span></h5>
<h5 style="line-height: 17.0999984741211px; font-size: 11px;"><span style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 16.5px;"><strong>Favorite Offseason Hobby:</strong> Golf&nbsp;</span></h5>
<h5 style="line-height: 17.0999984741211px; font-size: 11px;"><span style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 16.5px;"><strong>If I wasn&rsquo;t playing hockey, I would be:</strong> Working in the mine at Minntac in Mountain Iron, Minn.&nbsp;</span></h5>
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<p><strong>When did you finally realize you wanted to commit to hockey full time? Why did you ultimately decide on hockey?&nbsp;<br /></strong><span style="line-height: 1.5em;">After I graduated high school I decided to commit to hockey. Hockey was my strongest sport and it was also the most fun.</span></p>
<p><strong>When you were a kid were there any NHL players that you looked up to in the NHL? Was there anyone in particular you tried to model your game after?&nbsp;<br /></strong><span style="line-height: 1.5em;">When I was real young, I liked Mario Lemieux. Once I realized I was going to be a defenseman, I liked and followed Nicklas Lidstrom. He is the best all-around defenseman of my lifetime. Although I will never reach his level, I still strive to have his attributes (skating, skill, and awareness).</span><span style="line-height: 1.5em; white-space: pre;"> </span></p>
<p><strong>Do you have a favorite memory when you were playing hockey as a youngster? Maybe a memorable goal or tournament that you won?<br /></strong><span style="line-height: 1.5em;">By far my favorite memory is making it to the state high school hockey tournament my senior year. It was the first trip to the tourney for our school (Virginia/Mountain Iron-Buhl Blue Devils). It was important for me to accomplish that with my best buddies that I played with for over 10 years in the same small town.</span></p>
<p><strong>Why did you ultimately decide to attend the University of Minnesota-Duluth as opposed to heading the major junior route?<br /></strong><span style="line-height: 1.5em;">The tradition of the WCHA was the ultimate goal for many Minnesota kids at that time. Also, in recent years more and more college players have gone on to have very successful professional careers.</span></p>
<p><strong>What was special about playing college hockey for two seasons in Duluth?<br /></strong><span style="line-height: 1.5em;">I loved the experience of playing in the WCHA, which had awesome rivalries and tradition. I formed great friendships at Duluth while living and playing with great guys from all over North America. I improved a great deal as a person and hockey player during my time in Duluth.</span></p>
<p><strong>How much have small area games been incorporated into your practices at both the collegiate and professional level? What types of skills have you taken away from those situations?&nbsp;<br /></strong><span style="line-height: 1.5em;">The higher level you play at, the more important these types of drills or practices are. In the NHL, decisions must be made quickly and without a lot of space. The best players use their physical skills and creativity to find time and space to make plays. I love drills that force me to handle the puck quickly, which gives me confidence to do something positive with the puck even in tight-checking games.</span></p>
<p><strong>What is the best perk about playing in the NHL?<br /></strong><span style="line-height: 1.5em;">We have access to the best equipment, trainers, accommodations and travel. NHL teams give you every tool and resource you need to play your best.</span></p>
<p><strong>What advice can you give a young 10-year-old kid playing youth hockey who aspires to play junior, college or even professional hockey?&nbsp;<br /></strong><span style="line-height: 1.5em;">A: You&rsquo;re never too old to practice skills.</span></p>
<p>B: Watch players at higher levels and listen to coaches. Learn how to be a better player.</p>
<p>C: Enjoy the journey. Don&rsquo;t be in a rush to the finish line. There is no such thing as the fast track. Enjoy the process of becoming a better athlete.</p>
<p><strong>Everyone has a life after hockey &mdash; any thought as to what you&rsquo;d like to do once you&rsquo;re playing days are over? Why would you choose that?&nbsp;<br /></strong><span style="line-height: 1.5em;">My wife and I hope to start a family in the future. So, I plan on being a stay-at-home dad. Also, I want to hunt, fish and golf, like a lot. I possibly would coach youth hockey in Virginia, Minn.</span></p>
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<p><span class="inline inline-none"><img src="http://www.usahockeymagazine.net/sites/default/files/images/a-few-minutes-q-and-a-matt-niskanen.thumbnail.jpg" alt="" title="" class="image image-thumbnail " width="100" height="60" /></span></p>
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http://www.usahockeymagazine.com/article/few-minutes-matt-niskanen#commentsMatt NiskanenMinnesotaMinnesota DuluthQ&AUniversity of Minnesota DuluthWashington CapitalsOnline Bonus ContentMon, 27 Oct 2014 17:06:38 +0000admin10563 at http://www.usahockeymagazine.comTim Army Interview on the NHL Networkhttp://www.usahockeymagazine.com/article/tim-army-interview-nhl-network
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<p>Before the U.S. Under-18 Select team headed overseas for international competition, Head Coach Tim Army and his team swung by Kettlers Capitals Iceplex, home of the Washington Capitals, where Caps365 of the NHL Network, learned more about the fo<span class="inline inline-right"><img src="http://usahockeymagazine.org/sites/default/files/images/Tim_Armypsd.img_assist_custom-155x233.jpg" alt="Tim Army, Head Coach of the U-18 Boy&#039;s Select Team" title="Tim Army, Head Coach of the U-18 Boy&#039;s Select Team" class="image image-img_assist_custom-155x233 " width="155" height="233" /><span class="caption" style="width: 153px;">Tim Army, Head Coach of the U-18 Boy's Select Team</span></span>rmer Washington assistant coach, and his current U.S. team. <a href="http://capitals.nhl.tv/team/console.jsp?catid=810&amp;id=74323" target="_blank">Click to watch.</a></p>
<p>The <a href="http://www.usahockey.com/Template_Usahockey.aspx?NAV=TU_04_02_05&amp;id=235608" target="_self">Under-18 select team</a> will begin play in the 2010 Ivan Hlinka Memorial Tournament in Czech Republic and Slovakia, Aug.9-14.</p>
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http://www.usahockeymagazine.com/article/tim-army-interview-nhl-network#commentsNHLTim ArmyU-18USA HockeyWashington CapitalsOnline Bonus ContentWed, 04 Aug 2010 17:50:50 +0000jessip2242957 at http://www.usahockeymagazine.comPothier Keeps Clear Focus on the Futurehttp://www.usahockeymagazine.com/article/2009-10/pothier-keeps-clear-focus-future
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<a href="/author/mick-colageo">Mick Colageo </a> </div>
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<p>Brian Pothier had spent nearly all of 2008 wondering when he&rsquo;d feel well enough to play with his children. Hockey was only a remote thought until December, when a stunning revelation made a come- back probable.</p>
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<h3 class="feature_headline_smaller">Brian Pothier | #2<br /></h3>
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<p class="textlinkblack"><strong>Position:</strong> Defenseman<br /><strong>Shoots:</strong> Left<br /><strong>Height:</strong> 6-foot-0 <br /><strong>Weight:</strong> 198 pounds<br /><strong>Birthdate:</strong> April 15, 1977<br /><strong>Hometown:</strong> New Bedford, Mass.<br /><strong>College: </strong>Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute<br /><strong>USA Hockey History:</strong> A member of the U.S. National Team at the 2007 IIHF World Championship</p>
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<p>After an innovative vision therapy course prescribed by North Carolina specialist Susan Durham, it was learned that the concussion Pothier had sustained on Jan. 3, 2008, during a game in Boston was long gone. And the bad days that persisted for several months thereafter were only masquerading as concussion symptoms.</p>
<p>&ldquo;The label I&rsquo;ve gotten over this injury is, &lsquo;This kid&rsquo;s had a grueling 14 months, and one more tap and he&rsquo;ll be scrambled eggs the rest of his life.&rsquo; And it&rsquo;s just not true. They decided I need a pair of glasses,&rdquo; Pothier said.</p>
<p>Durham related Pothier&rsquo;s ongoing problems to sight-processing nerves and prescribed an innovative therapy that by March had the New Bedford, Mass., native eyeing a return to the NHL. Once his vision issues were corrected, the headaches were gone, and Pothier was only aching to play.</p>
<p>&ldquo;The first few games I didn&rsquo;t make any big blunders or blow up the game,&rdquo; said Pothier, who wore corrective lenses for the first time in his life. &ldquo;Just talking to coaches, they were happy with how I was moving the puck, but I just wasn&rsquo;t at that level. When the playoffs came, I turned it up a notch.&rdquo;</p>
<p>After four games of plus-1 hockey in early March with the AHL Hershey (Pa.) Bears, Pothier rejoined the Washington Capitals for their final nine regular-season games, contributing a goal and two assists. But he really began making a difference in the playoffs, where his ability to improvise the breakout calmed the game down for Washington&rsquo;s big defensemen.</p>
<p>&ldquo;He was back to playing the way he played with us before, and the way we thought he&rsquo;d play when we signed him,&rdquo; Capitals&rsquo; General Manager George McPhee said. &ldquo;He&rsquo;s mobile and he can move the puck. He&rsquo;s a good player and a good experienced player, and you can never have enough of those.&rdquo;</p>
<p>The Capitals&rsquo; playoff run ended in a seven-game loss to eventual Stanley Cup champion Pittsburgh, but Pothier was a plus-1, which is a much nicer stat than the 65 straight games missed prior to his March 16 return.</p>
<p>&ldquo;I played much better in the playoffs, just the pace of the playoffs helped me,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;When you come back from an injury you want to do so much and you want to try to do different stuff, make all kinds of plays. In the playoffs you don&rsquo;t want to make mistakes; you need to keep it real simple.&rdquo;</p>
<p>Pothier&rsquo;s name wasn&rsquo;t on the list of campers on Team USA&rsquo;s entry in the 2010 Olympic Winter Games, but his expectations were modest after a year that left him thankful his hockey career is back in business.</p>
<p>&ldquo;It was kind of a dream to at least go to the camp, but if you look at their roster, they&rsquo;re a pretty good team. There are not a lot of weak links,&rdquo; he said.</p>
<p>Pothier has one season remaining on the four-year, $10 million contract he signed with the Capitals as a free agent in 2006, but a successful comeback has him thinking about playing, not retiring.<br />&ldquo;I&rsquo;m 32 years old, and I feel like I&rsquo;m still improving,&rdquo; he said. </p>
<p>&ldquo;I played in the playoffs with 12-13 months of getting totally out of shape and losing pretty much all I&rsquo;d worked for. In two months, I was playing at an elite level again. I even felt quicker than I had in the past.&rdquo;</p>
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<h6>Getty Images<br /></h6>
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<h2><span class="inline inline-right"><img src="http://usahockeymagazine.org/sites/default/files/images/Youth-Star-1009.img_assist_custom-200x194.jpg" alt="" title="" class="image image-img_assist_custom-200x194 " width="200" height="194" /></span>Youth Star</h2>
<p><strong>Sarah Chen</strong><br /><strong>Age: </strong>14<br /><strong>Hometown: </strong>San Marino, Calif.</p>
<p>Sarah started playing hockey on a dare when she was 7, and hasn&rsquo;t slowed down yet. An honors student at Huntington Middle School, Sarah plays for the L.A. Selects U14 AAA team. Sarah also is an accomplished speedskater, having won numerous national tournaments. In addition, she rides for the Home Depot Track Cycling team, and is the current reigning U.S. Junior Women&rsquo;s National Track Cycling Champion. In what little free time she has, Sarah is a cellist with the Huntington String Orchestra.</p>
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<a href="/issue/2009-10">2009-10</a> </div>
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http://www.usahockeymagazine.com/article/2009-10/pothier-keeps-clear-focus-future#commentsBrian PothierWashington CapitalsYouth Star of the MonthFirst LinersWed, 07 Oct 2009 15:46:41 +00001632 at http://www.usahockeymagazine.comCelebration Stationhttp://www.usahockeymagazine.com/article/2009-09/celebration-station
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The Fine Line Between Rejoicing And Rubbing It In </div>
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<a href="/node/35">Michael Huie</a> </div>
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<p><strong><span class="inline inline-right"><img src="http://www.ushockeymagazine.org/sites/default/files/images/0909-celebrate-Hurricane-crowd.img_assist_custom-350x567.jpg" alt="Goal celebrations by Eric Staal of the Carolina Hurricanes, or the Washington Capitals&amp;rsquo; Alex Ovechkin, can really fire up the home crowd, but can also set opposing players fuming." title="Goal celebrations by Eric Staal of the Carolina Hurricanes, or the Washington Capitals&amp;rsquo; Alex Ovechkin, can really fire up the home crowd, but can also set opposing players fuming." class="image image-img_assist_custom-350x567 " width="350" height="567" /><span class="caption" style="width: 348px;">Goal celebrations by Eric Staal of the Carolina Hurricanes, or the Washington Capitals&rsquo; Alex Ovechkin, can really fire up the home crowd, but can also set opposing players fuming.</span></span></strong>He shoots, he scores, he celebrates.</p>
<p>It&rsquo;s a moment every hockey player dreams about. You score a big goal and the celebration begins. Sometimes it&rsquo;s a spontaneous burst of excitement or maybe a simple tapping of the gloves with your teammates on the bench.</p>
<p>Or maybe it&rsquo;s pretending your stick is on fire.</p>
<p>This season in the NHL, and around the hockey world, goal celebrations were a hot topic. It reached a boiling point when television commentator Don Cherry compared Washington Capitals&rsquo; superstar Alexander Ovechkin&rsquo;s goal celebrations to those favored by soccer players. Even Sidney Crosby weighed in, saying, &ldquo;I don&rsquo;t like it personally, but that&rsquo;s him.&rdquo;</p>
<p>A former NHL coach, Cherry is something of a Canadian icon, and appears each Saturday night on Hockey Night in Canada. During a March segment of &ldquo;Coach&rsquo;s Corner,&rdquo; Cherry, who is known for his old-time hockey rants and his loud suits, said, &ldquo;We don&rsquo;t start acting like these goofy soccer guys.&rdquo;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; <br />Ovechkin thought Cherry&rsquo;s comments were funny.</p>
<p>&ldquo;I just laughed when I saw his suits,&rdquo; Ovechkin told The Washington Post. &ldquo;He&rsquo;s funny. In hockey we need someone like that, someone who thinks I&rsquo;m celebrating like a soccer player. Maybe Canadians don&rsquo;t have soccer teams. Maybe he&rsquo;s jealous of Russia.&rdquo;</p>
<p>Three weeks later, the controversy got hotter. Literally. </p>
<p>On March 19, Ovechkin scored his 50th goal of the season during a win in Tampa Bay. After scoring, he dropped to the ice and pretended his stick was too hot to touch. In a post-game interview, Ovechkin said the celebration was suggested by some of his teammates.</p>
<p>Several Lightning players took exception to the celebration, and coach Rick Tocchet told the Tampa Tribune that Ovechkin &ldquo;came down a notch in [his] book after that.&rdquo; Cherry also piped in admitting that Ovechkin is &ldquo;not a mean guy,&rdquo; but that he needs to step up and be a role model.</p>
<p><span class="inline inline-left"><img src="http://www.ushockeymagazine.org/sites/default/files/images/0909-celebrate-ovechkin.img_assist_custom-300x386.jpg" alt="" title="" class="image image-img_assist_custom-300x386 " width="300" height="386" /></span>Hockey is a sport steeped in tradition and rich with unwritten rules. Some hockey analysts wondered if NFL-style celebrations would make their way to the NHL with players pulling Sharpies out of the net to sign pucks. However, many players and coaches think most hockey people know how to celebrate a goal.<br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; <br />Carolina Hurricanes forward Erik Cole said Ovechkin plays the game wide open and the exuberant goal celebrations are simply part of his style.</p>
<p>&ldquo;I think for [Ovechkin] it&rsquo;s a big part of who he is and his personality on the ice. He doesn&rsquo;t do anything quietly I guess is the best way to say it. He goes full tilt. He&rsquo;s a guy that gets excited,&rdquo; Cole said.<br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; <br />Cole has scored big goals for the Hurricanes and for Team USA in the 2006 Olympics. He said the circumstances of the game should dictate the celebration, and also the significance of the moment.</p>
<p>&ldquo;I think a lot of it is how the moment takes you. You don&rsquo;t celebrate the 7th goal of a blow out,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;My whole thing with goal celebrations is act like you&rsquo;ve done it before. [Former Hurricane] Jeff O&rsquo;Neill said that to me a long time ago.&rdquo;</p>
<p>Jim Johannson is the assistant executive director for USA Hockey and a two-time U.S. Olympian. An admitted &ldquo;purist,&rdquo; Johannson said he doesn&rsquo;t think Ovechkin&rsquo;s celebrations are disrespectful to the opposing team. He said having stars is good for the game, but that the way players celebrate goals depends on their personalities. A player like Joe Sakic may simply raise his stick whereas Ovechkin is more prone to slamming his body against the glass.</p>
<p>&ldquo;I think it&rsquo;s important to have the different personalities of the players,&rdquo; said Johannson. &ldquo;I look at our players; the Mike Modanos and the Keith Tkachuks. Their personas on the ice are different. There is not a right or wrong in how they celebrate.&rdquo; </p>
<p>Personalities and stars mean more exposure on national television.</p>
<p>&ldquo;I think knowing [hockey] ranks behind poker on TV, the game needs good characters,&rdquo; said Dan Brennan, USA Hockey&rsquo;s manager of coaching education. &ldquo;I think right now even more so than Crosby, Ovechkin does it better. I have no problem with Ovechkin. He brings a lot of enthusiasm to the game. He doesn&rsquo;t show his opponents up; he just shows excitement.&rdquo;</p>
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<p><strong><span class="inline inline-none"><img src="http://www.ushockeymagazine.org/sites/default/files/images/0909-celebrate-Kane-2.jpg" alt="Patrick Kane, 20, shows off his youthful exuberance after scoring a goal in the playoffs." title="Patrick Kane, 20, shows off his youthful exuberance after scoring a goal in the playoffs." class="image image-_original " width="525" height="406" /><span class="caption" style="width: 523px;">Patrick Kane, 20, shows off his youthful exuberance after scoring a goal in the playoffs.</span></span></strong></p>
<p>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; <br />Personalities may be good for the game&rsquo;s exposure, but Cherry directly addressed youth hockey players when dismissing Ovechkin&rsquo;s celebrations. Still, kids in the U.S. idolize him. </p>
<p>Paul Fidishun has coached all levels of youth hockey at the Greensboro (N.C.) Ice House. He said that even though kids look up to NHL stars, the coach can teach them how and when to celebrate a goal.<br />&ldquo;A lot of it depends on the situation,&rdquo; Fidishun said. &ldquo;What we try and teach them, I guess, is just good sportsmanship and respect for the other team.</p>
<p>&ldquo;Younger kids get excited. It&rsquo;s just part of the game, and we don&rsquo;t discourage that.&rdquo;</p>
<p>Brennan said respect for the opponent and good sportsmanship is learned early at the grass-roots level. He said players can still celebrate their accomplishments without taunting an opponent.</p>
<p>&ldquo;The one thing that I&rsquo;ve always loved about our game is the tradition. It&rsquo;s the only game where at the end players shake hands,&rdquo; said Brennan, who grew up in British Columbia and played college hockey at Colorado College and professionally in Sweden. </p>
<p>&ldquo;But I think you can still have fun without disrespecting the other players. There&rsquo;s fun and then there&rsquo;s a line there. I think kids can learn that from their coach.&rdquo;</p>
<p>Cole has made it a priority to teach sportsmanship to his 5-year-old son. He said that whether they play hockey in the driveway or any other game, when it&rsquo;s over he looks his son in the eye, shakes his hand and says &ldquo;good game.&rdquo;</p>
<p>Johannson feels that respect between players is one area where hockey is way ahead of other sports.</p>
<p>&ldquo;I&rsquo;d be hard pressed to find a time when someone did something to disrespect the other team,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;I think hockey, as a whole, has done a good job of keeping the lack of respect for opponents in check.&rdquo;</p>
<p>Still fans come to be entertained, and Johannson said when the stars of hockey put on a good show, it benefits the sport.</p>
<p>&ldquo;I think when Ovechkin scores his 500th [goal] he&rsquo;s going to make a show of it,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;Part of that&rsquo;s good for the game, because guess what will be on Sportscenter?&rdquo;</p>
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<a href="/issue/2009-09">2009-09</a> </div>
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http://www.usahockeymagazine.com/article/2009-09/celebration-station#commentsAlex OvechkinChicago BlackhawksEric Staalhockey celebrationsPatrick KaneWashington CapitalsFeatureWed, 09 Sep 2009 14:36:38 +00001473 at http://www.usahockeymagazine.comBryan Erickson, Brian Lawton and John Vanbiesbrouck http://www.usahockeymagazine.com/article/2009-08/bryan-erickson-brian-lawton-and-john-vanbiesbrouck
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<p><strong><span class="inline inline-none"><img src="http://usahockeymagazine.com/sites/default/files/images/0908-hero-Bryan_Erickson.jpg" alt="Bryan &amp;ldquo;Butsy&amp;rdquo; Erickson ranks his college days at the top of his favorite hockey memories." title="Bryan &amp;ldquo;Butsy&amp;rdquo; Erickson ranks his college days at the top of his favorite hockey memories." class="image image-_original " width="525" height="371" /><span class="caption" style="width: 523px;">Bryan &ldquo;Butsy&rdquo; Erickson ranks his college days at the top of his favorite hockey memories.</span></span></strong></p>
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<h3>Erickson Was More Than Just &ldquo;Face In The Crowd&rdquo;</h3>
<p>When he was 18 years old, Bryan &ldquo;Butsy&rdquo; Erickson received an issue of Sports Illustrated in the mail, which didn&rsquo;t seem so unusual until he turned to the &ldquo;Faces in the Crowd&rdquo; section. There, he found his picture featured along with his high school linemates and next-door neighbors, Neal and Aaron Broten. </p>
<p>&ldquo;It was really surreal,&rdquo; Erickson recalls. &ldquo;I didn&rsquo;t really know we were doing anything special. We just played because it was fun.&rdquo;</p>
<p>Erickson grew up in Roseau, Minn., a small town near the Canadian border known for consistently producing teams that contended for the Minnesota high school state championship. Erickson was a right wing on one of the most prolific lines in the history of Minnesota high school hockey, helping guide the team to two undefeated seasons. </p>
<p>At the University of Minnesota, Erickson put up 238 career points, and in 1982 captained the team to an 18-7-1 record and took home the team&rsquo;s leadership and sportsmanship award. </p>
<p>He began his NHL career with the Washington Capitals after graduating from Minnesota and soon got an opportunity to play on Team USA in the 1984 Canada Cup with Rod Langway, Bryan Trottier, and Chris Chelios. </p>
<p>&ldquo;Playing in the Canada Cup was a huge thrill for me,&rdquo; says Erickson, who had two goals and two assists in the tournament. &ldquo;Five years earlier I didn&rsquo;t even know if I was going to play hockey after high school. I ended up going to Minnesota, and I graduated in &rsquo;83 and the next year I&rsquo;m playing with the best players in the world.&rdquo;</p>
<p>Erickson returned to the Capitals after the Canada Cup and played in 351 career games before retiring from professional hockey in 1994. He coached the Roseau Bantam boys&rsquo; team until just last season. Although Erickson has plenty of memories to choose from, he is quick to decide which of them will forever be his favorite.</p>
<p>&ldquo;I certainly liked the paychecks every two weeks in the NHL,&rdquo; jokes Erickson, who claims there is no interesting story behind the genesis of his nickname. &ldquo;But for hockey, my favorite times were playing at the University of Minnesota. I loved the guys and the atmosphere; I loved everything about it.&rdquo;</p>
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<h3>Lawton Laces Skates To Compete At Nationals</h3>
<p><strong><span class="inline inline-right"><img src="http://usahockeymagazine.com/sites/default/files/images/0908-hero-Lawton-mug.img_assist_custom-137x188.jpg" alt="Brian Lawton" title="Brian Lawton" class="image image-img_assist_custom-137x188 " width="137" height="188" /><span class="caption" style="width: 135px;">Brian Lawton</span></span></strong>Life of an NHL general manager is a 24/7 existence. Still, Brian Lawton managed to take time out from his duties of running the Tampa Bay Lightning to lace up the skates and compete in the 40 &amp; Over National Championship tournament at the Brandon (Fla.) Ice Sports Forum.</p>
<p>The competitive fire still burns bright for the former No. 1 overall pick of the Minnesota North Stars in the 1983 NHL Entry Draft, as Lawton led his La Palestra NYC team to the title game where they fell to the Chicago Sharks, 6-5.</p>
<p>Lawton took over the reins of executive vice president and general manager of the Lightning early in the 2009 season, overseeing all aspects of the team&rsquo;s hockey operations department.<br />Before joining the Lightning, Lawton spent 14 years as a player agent. </p>
<p>In addition to a 483-game NHL career, in which he scored 112 goals and 266 points, Lawton represented the U.S. on several occasions.</p>
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<h3>Where Are They Now?&nbsp; <br /></h3>
<p><strong><span class="inline inline-left"><img src="http://usahockeymagazine.com/sites/default/files/images/0908-hero-Vanbiesbrouck.img_assist_custom-200x292.jpg" alt="John Vanbiesbrouck" title="John Vanbiesbrouck" class="image image-img_assist_custom-200x292 " width="200" height="292" /><span class="caption" style="width: 198px;">John Vanbiesbrouck</span></span></strong>A 2007 U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame inductee and the 1986 Vezina Trophy winner, John Vanbiesbrouck is widely considered one of the best American goaltenders in the history of hockey. </p>
<p>He spent 10 seasons of his 19-year career with the New York Rangers, who drafted him 72nd overall in 1981. After being traded to Florida, he backstopped the Panthers to the franchise&rsquo;s only Stanley Cup Finals appearance in 1996. </p>
<p>Internationally, he appeared in four IIHF World Championships and played alongside former Ranger teammate Mike Richter in the 1998 Olympic Winter Games in Nagano, Japan. </p>
<p>Vanbiesbrouck hung up his skates in 2002 and is now committed to helping players of all ages excel on the ice with his latest project, vbksportsviewer.com. The Web site, which launched on June 15, allows users to upload video of their games and practices, create clips and use various tools to evaluate their play. </p>
<p>&nbsp;&ldquo;I think it&rsquo;s really going to help and assist people involved in the long-term development program,&rdquo; says Vanbiesbrouck, who is an athlete director with USA Hockey&rsquo;s board of directors. </p>
<p>&ldquo;We&rsquo;re encouraging people to videotape their practices in order to see themselves and change the scope of what they do, creating a different type of advanced education in hockey.&rdquo;</p>
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<h6>Photos - Washington Capitals, Getty Images<br /></h6>
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<a href="/issue/2009-08">2009-08</a> </div>
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http://www.usahockeymagazine.com/article/2009-08/bryan-erickson-brian-lawton-and-john-vanbiesbrouck#commentsBrian LawtonBryan “Butsy” EricksonJohn VanbiesbrouckPhiladelphia FlyersWashington CapitalsHistory and HeroesFri, 31 Jul 2009 17:32:32 +00001283 at http://www.usahockeymagazine.comEvolution Of A Revolution: Hockey Blogshttp://www.usahockeymagazine.com/article/2008-08/evolution-revolution-hockey-blogs
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Blogging Moves Mainstream To Take Hockey World By Storm </div>
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By:&nbsp;</div>
<a href="/node/55">Ricki Dugdale</a> </div>
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<p><span class="inline inline-none"><img src="http://www.usahockeymagazine.net/sites/default/files/images/0808-blog-thinkpad.jpg" alt="" title="" class="image image-_original " width="525" height="317" /></span></p>
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<h2>What is a Blog?</h2>
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<h5>A blog can be entertaining, it can be informational, and it can be enlightening. But the most important part of a blog is that it can be activating. It allows others to look at your thoughts and follow your life and then launch their own ideas, comments and perspectives on what you&rsquo;ve seen and done. In short, your personal blog is a way to leave your footprints in the sand.</h5>
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<h5><em>&mdash; From the blog of Washington Capitals&rsquo; owner and Internet mogul Ted Leonsis, Tedstake.com</em></h5>
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<p>In an era where information moves quicker than the puck on a 5-on-3 power play, hockey fans can&rsquo;t wait for the daily newspaper to hit their doorstep to find out what happened in rinks across North America. Most can&rsquo;t even wait for SportsCenter to light up their flat screen.<br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; <br />In today&rsquo;s streaming society, where life is measured in megabytes and nanoseconds, blogs have surfaced as the quickest and sometimes quirkiest form of news and commentary available.</p>
<p>Web logs, or blogs for short, have been connecting fans across the globe and have given a new face and voice to the hockey world. Often written by a die-hard fan without an unbiased bone in his body, blogs provide a new dimension to sports journalism by providing real-time game analysis or commentary while leaving the run-of-the-mill game story in the dust.</p>
<p>Bloggers aren&rsquo;t bashful about expressing their own opinions and encourage readers to chime in with their own thoughts and comments.</p>
<p>Only recently have bloggers begun to shed the stereotypical image of a sports junkie posting his computer-generated rants from the safety of his parent&rsquo;s basement. Today&rsquo;s blogger takes on many forms, including players who create their own blogs that act as online diaries so that readers can catch a glimpse of&nbsp; life at the highest levels of the game. </p>
<p>(USA Hockey has run several player blogs during international tournaments on its Web site.)</p>
<p>Today&rsquo;s bloggers are gaining acceptance among mainstream media, in part because professional journalists have learned that if you can&rsquo;t beat &rsquo;em, join &rsquo;em.</p>
<p>The rising popularity of blogs has forced mainstream media to re-evaluate which direction coverage is heading in the near future as fingers stay glued to the keyboard and eyes stay fixed on a computer screen.</p>
<p>&ldquo;I think [blogging] sort of changed how we approached coverage of events,&rdquo; said Kevin Allen, president of the Professional Writer&rsquo;s Association and USA Today&rsquo;s hockey writer. &ldquo;Instead of just reporting what happened in the news we are interpreting it quickly, and we have been forced to do it by the amateur bloggers.&rdquo;<br />Allen, along with most professional journalists, has taken on a larger workload, writing his own blog, &ldquo;Mucking and Grinding,&rdquo; along with his regular columns and other stories.</p>
<p>Even with an additional workload, Allen feels that in order to stay competitive mainstream media had to convert and use blogging as a news medium or perish at the hands of the amateur bloggers.</p>
<p>However, not every journalist feels the same, and allowing the amateur bloggers to begin attending games as regular media is a hot topic.</p>
<p>&ldquo;My membership believes that right now there is not enough history to bring aboard bloggers,&rdquo; Allen said. &ldquo;They don&rsquo;t really have any accountability. They can post anything and it doesn&rsquo;t really matter, while those of us in the Association have accountability and have standards.&rdquo;</p>
<p>Practicing a free form of journalism where anything goes, amateur bloggers are not required to uphold media ethics because they are not accountable to a higher authority, such as an editor or publisher.</p>
<p>While professional journalists are required to offer the same immediate form of media, they must still report factual and accurate news, and because professional blogs must uphold these standards, they hold a level of reliability over postings by amateur bloggers.</p>
<p>Some bloggers tend to post anything and everything, regardless of truth or accuracy, which can create problems because blogs that have been established as reliable must fight harder to be recognized among the established media.</p>
<p>&ldquo;Personally, I believe that as long as a guy has proven himself to be a guy who dedicates his profession to [blogging], he deserves to be taken seriously,&rdquo; Allen said.</p>
<p><strong><span class="inline inline-none"><img src="http://www.usahockeymagazine.net/sites/default/files/images/0808-Blog-1.jpg" alt="New York Islander fans have expressed their opinions and their loyalties on their blogs, which are endorsed by the team." title="New York Islander fans have expressed their opinions and their loyalties on their blogs, which are endorsed by the team." class="image image-_original " width="525" height="350" /><span class="caption" style="width: 523px;">New York Islander fans have expressed their opinions and their loyalties on their blogs, which are endorsed by the team.</span></span></strong></p>
<p>As the debate continues to wage on, the transformations are hitting every level of hockey from grassroots to the National Hockey League as organizations across the country are starting to take a proactive approach to blogging and rethinking what constitutes a &ldquo;real journalist.&rdquo;</p>
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<h2 class="textlinkblack">&ldquo;... having fans get involved is a great way to pull your fans into the game and into <br />the sport.&rdquo;<br /></h2>
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<p>The New York Islanders have been at the front of the pack in allowing bloggers to attend games at Nassau Coliseum. Implementing an auxiliary press box, normally used to accommodate overflow during the playoffs, the Islanders have encouraged fans with running blogs to attend games as members of the press.</p>
<p>&ldquo;We saw that blogging is becoming a major force on the Internet and is a tool for news reporting,&rdquo; said Corey Witt, media relations coordinator for the Islanders. &ldquo;Instead of shying away from it, we wanted to dive right in.&rdquo;</p>
<p>The Islanders presented fans, most of whom are season ticket holders, with the opportunity to apply to become active members of the media.<br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; <br />Applications to earn media credentials went up in May 2007 and established hockey bloggers, not necessarily those covering the Islanders, were chosen based on quality and unique traits.<br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; <br />&ldquo;The program was designed to have fans watch the game and blog,&rdquo; Witt said. &ldquo;The regular press box has rules that you can&rsquo;t wear jerseys or cheer when a goal is scored, but these fans are actually encouraged to do that because they are basically sitting with the crowd, and after the game they are given full access to the Islanders like regular media.&rdquo;</p>
<p>Striking franchise gold, the Islanders&rsquo; forward thinking has been successful on several levels. From a press standpoint, the Islanders receive more coverage at their games. From a fan standpoint, a deeper-seeded connection was formed because bloggers were embraced rather than shunned. From a business standpoint, the Islanders had sponsorships come up for the new press box. Witt described it as a win-win situation for everyone involved.</p>
<p>&ldquo;Everyone seems skeptical about it at first, but when they talk to us and see how successful it was, they sort of saw where we were coming from,&rdquo; Witt said. &ldquo;I suspect other teams in the NHL will follow suit in the next year.&rdquo;</p>
<p>The future of blogging is clear. It is a new form of media that not only provides teams with more coverage but also allows the game to grow and solidify a fan base.</p>
<p>&ldquo;Technology can change a lot,&rdquo; said Helene Elliott, sports columnist for the Los Angeles Times. &ldquo;I think having interactive things, having fans get involved, is a great way to pull your fans into the game and into the sport.&rdquo;</p>
<p>With the endless possibilities, blogging is the future of sports journalism whether the mainstream media is ready or not.</p>
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<h2>10 Great Hockey Blogs
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<h3><span class="red-bold-subhead">1) Kukla&rsquo;s Korner&nbsp;</span></h3>
<p><strong><span class="textlink2"><a class="textlink2" href="http://www.kuklaskorner.com">kuklaskorner.com</a></span></strong><br /> <span class="usah_text">KK offers readers a variety of topics surrounding the NHL from the latest on teams to how well the media covers the sport. KK has a total of 1,277 members and has four authors who are responsible for their own KK pages: Canucks and Beyond, Able to Yzerman, KK Hockey and Eye on the Media.</span></p>
<h3><span class="red-bold-subhead"><br />2) Bob McKenzie at TSN</span>&nbsp;</h3>
<p class="usah_text"><strong><a class="textlink2" href="http://www.tsn.ca/blogs/bob_mckenzie" target="_blank">tsn.ca/blogs/bob_mckenzie</a></strong><br /> McKenzie provides insight and commentary as one of the best analysts in the business. He maintains one of the best informational blogs in the known hockey world.</p>
<h3><span class="red-bold-subhead"><br />3) Hockey Buzz&nbsp; </span></h3>
<p class="usah_text"><strong><a class="textlink2" href="http://www.hockeybuzz.com" target="_blank">hockeybuzz.com</a></strong><br /> Eklund, The Anonymous Hockey Blogger, is the number one NHL blogger on the Internet, and hockeybuzz.com is his collaborative effort with bloggers everywhere. This is the site to find news and information on all the teams and to keep up to date with hockey rumors.</p>
<h3><span class="red-bold-subhead"><br />4) James Mirtle </span></h3>
<p class="usah_text"><strong><a class="textlink2" href="http://www.mirtle.blogspot.com" target="_blank">mirtle.blogspot.com</a></strong><br /> Mirtle is a sport&rsquo;s staff writer for the Globe and Mail in Toronto and offers the ins and outs of the National Hockey League straight from &ldquo;the mouth (and other orifices) of a sports journalist.&rdquo;</p>
<h3><span class="red-bold-subhead"><br />5) Puck Update</span></h3>
<p class="usah_text"><strong><a class="textlink2" href="http://www.puckupdate.com" target="_blank">puckupdate.com</a></strong><br /> Puck Update is strictly dedicated to hockey news. For answers to any questions regarding what is going on in the hockey world, this is the place to go.</p>
<h3><span class="red-bold-subhead"><br />6) Mucking &amp; Grinding</span></h3>
<p class="usah_text"><strong><a class="textlink2" href="http://www.usatoday.com/community/profile.htm?plckPersonaPage=PersonaBlog&amp;plckUserId=7f199720956b03f0&amp;UID=7f199720956b03f0" target="_blank">www.usatoday.com/sports/hockey/default.htm</a></strong><br /> Kevin Allen, USA Today&rsquo;s hockey writer since 1986, has been given the opportunity to stretch his creative and journalistic&nbsp; muscles with his entertaining and informative blog.</p>
<h3><span class="red-bold-subhead"><br />7) Hitting the Post </span></h3>
<p class="usah_text"><strong><a class="textlink2" href="http://hittingthepost.blogspot.com">hittingthepost.blogspot.com</a></strong><br /> Nick in New York and Wild Road Tripper maintain this site devoted to the Minnesota Wild. The site keeps a very close watch on the Wild&rsquo;s season from game analysis to how the players are holding up and where they are going.</p>
<h3><span class="red-bold-subhead">8) Tom Benjamin&rsquo;s NHL Web log </span></h3>
<p class="usah_text"><strong><a href="http://www.canuckscorner.com/weblog/nhllog/"><span class="textlink2">canuckscorner.com/weblog/nhllog/</span></a></strong><br /> Benjamin provides great commentary on everything NHL related.</p>
<h3><span class="red-bold-subhead"><br />9) A View from the Cheap Seats </span></h3>
<p class="usah_text"><strong><a href="http://www.dccheapseats.com"><span class="textlink2">dccheapseats.com</span></a></strong><br /> Another Washington Capitals blog, CapsChick provides a space for everything Washington. From rants, musings, predictions and babblings to discussion, debate, questions and answers.</p>
<h3><span class="red-bold-subhead"><br />10) Ted&rsquo;s Take On Things </span></h3>
<p class="usah_text"><strong><a class="textlink2" href="http://www.tedstake.com">tedstake.com</a></strong><br /> Ted Leonsis, Washington Capitals owner and Internet mogul, gives a rare and honest view from inside the front office, answering fans&rsquo; questions and providing insight on one of the most dynamic teams in the NHL.</p>
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Issue:&nbsp;</div>
<a href="/issue/2008-08">2008-08</a> </div>
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http://www.usahockeymagazine.com/article/2008-08/evolution-revolution-hockey-blogs#commentsblogsBob McKenziehockey blogsmediaMinnesota WildTed LeonsisTom BenjaminWashington CapitalsFeatureTue, 21 Jul 2009 15:03:51 +00001033 at http://www.usahockeymagazine.com